Twisted Logic
by evelyn-halfmoon
Summary: This is my first fic. Please Read and Review.


**A/N: Well, hello there. I don't know how you found this story but now that you have, I should probably tell you about it. It's written in their 7th year, but Dumbledore is alive, Malfoy is still at school, Snape has still left and Fudge has been replaced and Sirius is dead. Oh yeah and Harry and Ginny have never been together. Just wipe that from your mind, ok? Right, this is my first fic so don't get too harsh if you happen to review (please do). So here's my story. Hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: Any character that's not in the Harry Potter books is mine.**

**Chapter One  
**_Starting Out_

Hermione Granger lay sprawled on her bed, her face buried in an overlarge book. Occasionally she would look up from her reading to scribble a few notes on a piece of parchment already awash with her miniscule writing.

Magazines covered the bedroom floor, though not the ones that are normally associated with a seventeen year old girl. A woman's face, bedecked with warts and boils, peered out of the cover of one magazine, with the title _Witch Weekly_ scrawled on it. Another bore the angry face of Rufus Scrimgeor, who was gesticulating to a frenzied crowd, emblazoned by the words _Minister for Magic Vows To Remove Voldemort. _ It then went on to add:

_At a press conference yesterday, the Minister for magic announced to reporters and citizens alike that he "is sending out troops to trap down the delinquents we call Death-Eaters." He gave no mention of the Boy-Who-Lived or the Chosen One as we have come to call him, except to say this: "Harry Potter, though quite tough, has suffered some emotional blows and therefore is likely to have 'dropped his guard' so to speak. So we are issuing him with and extra Auror to take care of him."  
It is well known that Albus Dumbledore resents to having Aurors patrol his school, but Scrimgeor is proving to be tougher than Fudge. He resolutely refused to budge on this matter - _

The rest of the article was covered by an immaculate peacock-feathered quill and bottle of '_Whizzwords' _ink. Hermione's hand (the one that wasn't scribbling frantically) absentmindedly reached out to her draw and picked up a letter, written on an old scrap of parchment.

_Hey Hermione,_

_I don't know when I'll see you again. I mean its ages until school starts. Thankfully, I'm staying at Ron's, 'cause Dudley was driving me mad at Privet Drive. (He only got thirty-three birthday presents)._

_I'm alive and not murdered, obviously. Sirius and Lupin have been 'filling me in' on what the Order's doing – though it's kinda hard to concentrate with Mrs Weasley constantly grinding her teeth! Lupin keeps hinting that there's something we have to look out for but, surprise surprise, he won't tell me anything._

_We've bought out school stuff from Diagon Alley (and Ron managed to pick up something else there too – I'll tell you when I see you) but send Hedwig back with a reply and we'll meet you._

_Harry_

_P.S. Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Lupin and Sirius say hi._

She had already sent a short reply: _Monday 25th August. I'm staying in the Leaky Cauldron, see you then._

Unnoticed to Hermione, a ginger-haired cat crawled through the cat flap. Its pig-like face snuffled through the assorted books and rubbish on the bedroom floor before it found Hermione's stripy doona. He leapt up onto the bed and lay down on her lower back, tickling her sides with his bushy tail.

Hermione glanced behind her and grinned.

"Crookshanks, you naughty boy, how did you get up there?" she crooned, reaching over to pat her cat. He hissed and swiped at her hand with his paw. Hermione's reflexes were excellent, however, due to the countless tasks she had to go through with her friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. She jerked her hand back and Crookshanks' claws dug instead into skin that was not covered by her top.

"Ouch! What was that for Crookshanks?"

She put her hand to her back and felt a trickle of blood. Crookshanks leapt off the bed and ran out of the room. Hermione followed, though at a smaller pace, occasionally wincing from the pain.

As she entered the kitchen, the first thing Hermione saw was a large brown owl tracking her with enormous golden eyes. Next to it sat a considerably smaller grey owl, which could hardly contain its excitement, and another brown owl, surveying her impassively, which Hermione recognised as a Hogwarts owl. Its package was bulkier than usual, for what reason she could not fathom, but she had a hunch.

A hassled Jane Granger came into the kitchen and upon seeing her daughter with a wound she cried out in alarm and instantly began fussing.

"Oh Hermione, darling! What happened? Oh, you poor dear."

"Mum!" said Hermione. "Mum, trust me, it's not that bad."

"Not that bad? This cut is at least a mile deep, though it's giving out surprisingly little blood. Was it Crookshanks?" Hermione nodded. "You bad cat, go outside and stay there. Hermione dear, you got some letters. Owls, I ask you. Haven't I got enough to cope with? You certainly are high maintenance, dear."

"Mu-um," groaned Hermione.

She manoeuvred out of her mother's grip and walked over to the first owl, from Hogwarts. It stood patiently as she untied the package from its left foot. She removed the paper wrapping and a round badge fell out. It had the letters HG imprinted on it in red and gold, for Gryffindor. Hermione could barely contain her excitement, she knew what this meant; she had seen Percy Weasley with a similar badge some years ago.

She pulled out two other pieces of parchment from the remains of the first package.  
The first piece was just her list of spell books, though she noticed that Dumbledore had found a Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher.  
Unrolling one piece the first thing she saw was a great big CONGRATULATIONS written in brilliant green ink. Then:

_CONGRATULATIONS!_

_You have been awarded the position of Head Girl. For this year you will not be sleeping in your House's dorms, but will be relocated to the Head Common and Dorm Rooms. You will find out who Head Boy is on the first day back, when you will both be briefed on your duties in my office. In addition to the other books on your list you will need to buy _A Guide to Essphixotion _by _Ta. L. Lorder_. I look forward to working with you._

_Albus Dumbledore  
Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Hermione did a little dance on the spot crying "Yes! Yes!" then "Ouch!" as her cut skin was pulled. She pinned the badge on her chest and looked in the mirror. It looked a little strange against her Muggle attire, but she kept it on anyway. She hugged Jane and then the owl and then her Dad, Henry as he ambled in for breakfast. He held her at arms length and peered into her flushed face with a puzzled expression.

"Honey, what happened?" he asked.

"I'm Head Girl!" she cried and thrust the letter at him.

He read it over shaking his head slightly and smiling. Jane, however, gestured to the other two owls with and exasperated expression. Hermione skipped over to them a grabbed the grey owl, Ron's Pigwidgeon, in her fist.

"What have you got for me?" she asked it and got a gleeful hoot in response.

She untied the letter and unrolled it.

_Hermione! _it read

_I can't wait until we see you! Me and Harry are going mad here. Mum's feeding us 24/7 – we'll be so fat you'll have to roll us to Hogwarts. _

_Ginny says if she doesn't see you soon she'll go insane. I dunno why, Harry and I are playing Quidditch with her… what more does she want?_

_Anyway, have you been getting the Daily Prophet? Harry's got a new guard, I dunno if he told you. He's staying at our place and he's downright shifty. Fred and George have found away to distract him long enough to escape his 'watchful eye'. Mum's just about fed up with him. There's something about him that Lupin won't tell us, like something bad._

_Harry keeps mentioning Sirius. Like not talking about what happened but just saying stuff like "Is Sirius making breakfast?" or "Where's Sirius?" It's pretty awkward 'cause then he realises and goes all quiet. _

_We all need a break, so once again I can't wait to see you._

_Ron_

Hermione grinned at the letter. She didn't bother replying, as she was going to see Harry and Ron today to buy her books.

"Good news, dear?" asked Jane shrewdly.

Hermione blushed. "Oh, you know, the usual," she said quickly.

The last owl flapped its wings, knocking over a coffee mug and a marmalade pot, and flew over to Hermione. She took the letter off its leg and looked at it. The ink was a lapis-lazuli blue, that she had never seen before.

_13th November, 11:00 pm, fifth floor corridor outside the painting of Merlin and Morwenna. _

Hermione stared at the letter, perplexed. Who could have sent it? She refused to brood over it and stuffed the letter in her pocket.

She looked at her parents, who were watching her half-expectantly and half-apprehensively.

"Well," she said. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

After taking the train into London Mr & Mrs Granger said goodbye to their daughter and left her to acquire accommodation and school supplies on her own. She headed determinedly to the shabby old pub, _The Leaky Cauldron_ and barged straight inside.

"Hello Miss Granger!" shouted Tom, the bar man over the din. The Leaky Cauldron was unusually packed. "Heard you got Head Girl."

Hermione grinned and nodded. Tom came out from behind the bar and held out his hand.

"I'll show you to your room then, young lady."

Hermione giggled and took the proffered hand. Tom took her up a narrow flight of stairs and into a room on the left. It was respectably furnished and had a gorgeous view of London from the window. Hermione sat down on the four-poster bed and Tom left the room.

She began to unpack her things for her short stay. As she unfolded a pair of jeans a piece of parchment fell out of the leg. Puzzled, she picked it up. On it was the same lapis-lazuli ink as the letter from the mysterious owl. The same time, date and place was written and underneath that another line: _I have something you might like._

Hermione stared perplexedly at the parchment. Who sends these? she thought, stuffing it in her pocket. And why? She stood up and looked around suspiciously. Hurriedly, she began a haphazard search of her room. When she found nothing she resumed her unpacking.

It wasn't long before there was a smart rapping on her door followed by some whispers. She opened the door gingerly then smiled as she saw Ron Weasley and Harry Potter.

She let them in and hugged them both, Harry considerably more enthusiastically than Ron.

"Hermione! We're staying here too but we've got our books," said Ron.

"Wow, Hermione!" breathed Harry as he saw the badge on her chest. "Is that a Head Girl badge?"

Hermione nodded proudly. Ron looked around in mock worry.

"You'd better not let Fred and George see that. They'll find it hilarious."

"Are they here too?"

"Yeah, just for business, you know."

Hermione looked at Harry.

"So, when do I meet your new carer, Harry?"

He scowled at her, while Ron laughed.

"His carer is right here."

The three friends looked at the doorway. There stood a tall man dressed entirely in black. His fawn coloured hair hung down to his ears, where it was jaggedly cut. His steely grey eyes glared at them and his mouth twisted up into a sneer worthy of Draco Malfoy.

"Your brothers have become an increasing annoyance, Mister Weasley," he drawled in an East European accent. "I wonder if they are not trying to hurt Mister Potter. If so I will be forced to incapacitate them."

"Was that a threat?" growled Harry forcefully.

The tall man leaned down until his face was an inch from Harry's.

"Only if you make it one," he snarled and left the room to stand outside the door.

Hermione glanced at Ron worriedly. Harry was still watching the door.

"Are you sure he's a good guard?" she asked.

Harry turned. "Yeah, his name's Emlyn. ("I call him Gremlin," interjected Ron) He nearly blasted Tom where he stood when he tried to take my bags to our room. But if he does one thing to hurt Fred and George –"

"Harry please don't do anything stupid," said Hermione, while Ron nodded. She sighed. "Well, are you guys gonna help me buy my books or what?"

All three of them left the room throwing dirty looks at Emlyn, who followed closely behind them.

At the bottom of the stairs Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley and Lupin were waiting. Hermione noticed that Harry avoided Lupin's gaze as he said hello.

"Hermione, darling, it's been too long. Harry and Ron have been looking forward to coming here. They were bored witless without you, dear," greeted Mrs Weasley as Hermione shook hands with Mr Weasley and Lupin. The boys blushed and shook their heads muttering "It's not true."

They trooped out the back of the pub and into Diagon Alley. The first stop was Flourish and Blotts where Hermione bought all her books. Ron had to tear her away from _Hogwarts: A History: The Unknown Facts Revealed_.

"_A Guide to Essphixotion_?" asked the shopkeeper. "You'll be a Head then, Miss?"

Hermione nodded, not taking her eyes off a book of Goblin Revolutions. Ron shook his head in disgust and went to stand with Harry.

"So who do you think is the new Defence teacher?" he said eagerly.

"Ah, you'll have a surprise this year," said the shopkeeper, overhearing. "I couldn't believe it when I first heard it."

"Who is it?"

"I cannot say Mister Weasley. That's for me to know and you to find out."

Ron scowled. Harry however said, "It must be some old wizard who has nothing else to do. There's no way anyone else would do it."

The shopkeeper chuckled. "Nothing to do, eh?" He ambled off in search of Hermione's book. Harry and Ron looked at her.

"Is it just me or was that really weird?" said Ron. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I can't believe you don't know, Ronald," she said. "Honestly, it was perfectly obvious."

Ron and Harry exchanged looks, which clearly said 'If she won't tell us, we won't ask her'.

The shopkeeper came back holding a thick book, with a pearly sheen to it that kept changing colours. Hermione gasped with rapture. She payed for the book and stowed it carefully in her bag.

"That's got to be the size of all Lockhart's books together!" mused Harry.

Hermione tutted and made her way over to Madame Malkin's on the other side of the street.

"What?" said Ron, "You need more robes? We bought new ones last year!"

Hermione cast him a scathing look before entering the shop. Madame Malkin greeted them carefully, clearly she had not forgotten last year's incident with the Malfoys. Once she was sure they weren't a threat she bustled around measuring Hermione and fitting her with all sorts of robes.

"Now if I could just lift this," she muttered lifting up the bottom of Hermione's top a fraction."

"Bloody Hell, Hermione!" gasped Ron. "Brilliant tattoo! When did you get tattoos? Harry, since when does Hermione have a tattoo?"

Tattoo? thought Hermione. What tattoo?

She looked over her shoulder and saw to her surprise and horror that an immense green pattern was covering her lower back. She tried to cover her surprise with a feeble smile and gestured to Harry that she need to talk to him.

"Oh, err, Hermione, don't you want to try that robe on," he said, grabbing a shocking pink dress robe from the rack, handing it to Ron and pushing them all into the change room.

"Harry," moaned Ron. "This is a _girl's _change room. We can't be in _here_."

"Oh shut up Ron," muttered Hermione. "I'm not changing. I need to tell you something."

Quickly and quietly so as not to be heard by Emlyn who stood just outside the door she recounted Crookshanks' unusual behaviour and how he had scratched her.

"There's no scratch there now," said Ron, looking at Hermione's back.

"Do you think this tattoo is something to do with Crookshanks?" asked Harry, doubtfully.

"I always knew he was evil," muttered Ron. Hermione scowled at him.

"I think someone may have poisoned him. And another thing –"

She told them about the mysterious letter from the brown owl.

"I don't know if I should go."

"Ron and I can come too, under the Invisibility Cloak," offered Harry. "Then we can watch and if something happens we can help you escape."

"Alright," said Hermione. "You guys can come."

They emerged from the changing room, paid for Hermione's robes and made too leave.

"Excuse me young man," said Madame Malkin sharply. "Are you going to buy that robe?"

Ron looked bewildered until he realised he was still holding the pink robe.

"Err…"

"Oh no," said Hermione sweetly. "It doesn't suit his hair."

Laughing she ran out of the shop as an angry Ron followed her shouting "I'll get you Hermione!"

Harry followed with a thoughtful expression on his face. Hermione had matured over the holidays and Ron had always had a bit of a thing for her, even if he didn't admit it. If they got together – Harry shook his head. That couldn't happen.

He found them again in Hermione's rooms checking out her 'tattoo'. Ron was had an awestruck expression on his face and Hermione a worried one.

"I really think I should get it checked out. Do you think Madame Pomfrey knows about this sort of stuff?" she was saying. "Maybe it's in one of the library books… I'd better look it up as soon as we get to school."

Ron rolled his eyes at Harry. "Hermione, chill out. It's probably just a cheap trick to worry you. It's definitely succeeding."

"I can't believe you Ron!" She yelled. "This is an unknown affliction! I could be die–"

Her tirade cut short as her face screwed up in pain. Her lips began to turn blue and she dry-retched and gasped for air. Ron started forward as Hermione swayed, but before he could get to her, she went limp and collapsed onto the ground.

**A/N: can someone review and tell me if Hermione's parents are really Jane and Henry? Because I'm just going by what I've read on other people's fics. Even if you don't know review anyway :) thanks. I hope you enjoyed this chapter (if it seemed a little boring, hold your horses, 'cause that's just the first chapter)**


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